Sunday, September 11, 2011

In My Mailbox - September 11, 2011



In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren where we show what books have found a new home with us!


Shut Out by Kody Keplinger - Kody's debut, The DUFF, was a favorite of mine last year and so I've been eager to read this ever since she announced it was coming!

Miss Peregrines's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - I had heard great buzz about this book but I wasn't sure if this would be something I would like. After making a post last month about book trailers, Shannon mentioned how fantastic this book trailer was and I was sold! (Click here to see it for yourself)

Also, congrats to Chey for winning my Back to the Books giveaway, she picked Beauty Queens by Libba Bray!

What goodies did you get?

(Today my thoughts are with everyone affected by 9/11 - I will never forget)

Thursday, September 8, 2011

What Do You Think (6) : First Impressions...The Cover!


I admit, cover art is something that draws me to a book. When I receive the Goodreads.com email showing me updates from the people I follow, I glance down the left hand side and see if there are any books that "look" interesting to me. 

One thing that I've come to see more of while blogging is the switch of cover art. The most recent book to have a makeover is Lisa McMann's Cyer's Cross.

Hardcover
Upcoming Paperback

I'm not so sure I've ever liked the 'new' versions better though. Or maybe I've just come to love the original and it's like a new baby, you love them both but in different ways? While this cover remake may grab my attention,  I feel that this gives off a different expectation. For me, this cover oozes romance. The heart of the story though is creepy, it's a haunting past manifested in a chair and I think the original cover captures that. (Now if this was a vampire story about a guy watching you sleep *also creepy*  then I would totally buy into it!)

Cover art can also change partway through the series as well. Here are a couple that I still think about:
Original Hardcover
Updated Cover

I LOVED the original cover of Wolfsbane, though do think the new cover is a better fit for the story.

Original Hardcover
Updated Cover

This is actually one of my favorite covers of all time! I can see how it the change worked for well for the entire series, but man was I sad to see this one go.


Then there are the covers which didn't grab me, but the book buzz did and I fell in love with the book.

So what do you think, how important are covers to you? Does the cover art draw you in too? Are there books you would or wouldn't read just based on the cover?

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Review: Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Vanish: A Firelight Novel (Firelight (Hardcover - Trilogy))
Hardcover, 304 pages

Released: September 6, 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Other places to find the book:
Amazon.com
Bookdepository.com
Chapters.ca
Goodreads.com
To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts:
Vanish begins right where Firelight left off, with the aftermath of Jacinda showing what she was to the hunters. Jacinda, her mom and sister are brought back to the pride by Cassian and now must face the consequences for leaving. Life back 'home' is not the same, with curfews in place and flying restricted.  With her sister's power finally known, Jacinda is no longer the most popular.

Throughout Vanish, Jacinda pines over Will, the one she feels she truly belongs with.  Poor Cassian can't win over Jacinda despite being the hottie prince that any other Draki girl swoons over, especially her sister. She wants to live her life the way she wants, not how other people want her too and sadly Cassian falls into the later. It's Will that can give her that and he seems to love her too, risking everything time and time again. Yes this means a love triangle plays a huge role in the book, but really I only see Will as the symbol of freedom she is striving for and Cassian as the one who knows and loves her best (can you tell I'm on team Cassian?). This book covers Jacinda's struggle with what she wants versus what is expected.

For those who love a cute story, this one is made for you! Once you start, you won't put it down, Vanish is a quick, fun read. Now I shouldn't be too surprised, given that Sophie Jordan is also a romance writer, but wow there was some hotness in there! Clean for YA but steamy enough to make you blush :D

Buy the book:

Sunday, September 4, 2011

In My Mailbox - September 4, 2011



In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren where we show what books have found a new home with us!


Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith - I found this one on goodreads.com and know I'm going to love it! "With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry, Sarah Dessen, and John Green."

Tilt by Alan Cumyn - a teen male protagonist!!

Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard - yes THAT Sara Shepard but this is her first adult novel.


Fragile Eternity and Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr - I haven't started this fae series yet but have always meant to. When I found these two books on sale, I grabbed them!

What goodies did you get?

Love YA? Enter to in 1 of 5 ARCs!!!
My Back to the Books Giveaway is found here. Open to Cdn & US residents and ends September 7th!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Back To The Books Giveaway Hop



Thanks to I Am a Reader, Not A Writer and Buried In Books for hosting this fun event.


Choose your ARC!
  • Wildefire by Karsten Knight
  • Abandon by Meg Cabot
  • The Isle of Blood (Monstrumologist #3) by Rick Yancey - the series readers fought to continue! (in stores Sept 13)
  • Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
  • Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (in stores Sept 20)

You must also be a blog follower to enter (see the GFC on the right side). Leave a comment telling me what upcoming book you are most eager for and fill in the form below.



Here is the list of other blogs participating in the hop, go forth & enter!